The death toll in Hong Kong’s worst blaze in decades climbed to 94 on Friday morning, as an overnight rescue mission continued at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po.
The Fire Services Department (FSD) said that 94 people have been killed, including a firefighter, as of 6 am on Friday. 76 others have been injured, including 11 firefighters, they added.
Firefighters did not retrieve any survivors in the early hours on Friday, as the rescue work entered a third day – many are still presumed missing.
The FSD said the blaze, which broke out on Wednesday afternoon, is now “under control,” with some units still in flames.
Derek Armstrong Chan, deputy director of the Fire Services Department, said at a press conference at around 1 am on Friday that they have conducted door-to-door searches in the buildings and it was expected that all units will be searched in the morning on Friday.
“[W]e’ll endeavour to effect forcible entry to all the units of the seven buildings, so as to ensure there are no other possible casualties,” he said.
Wang Fuk Court has around 2,000 residential units and is home to around 4,000 people, according to the 2021 census.
The fire broke out shortly before 3 pm on Wednesday and quickly engulfed seven of the eight residential towers at Wang Fuk Court. Close to 300 people were missing, according to earlier estimates.
Police Senior Superintendent Eileen Chung said in the early hours of Thursday that firefighters suspected that the netting, mesh, canvas and plastic sheeting installed on the buildings did not meet fire safety requirements. The complex had been encased in scaffolding as part of a years-long renovation.
Police said on Thursday that three men, aged between 52 and 68, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter – each are from a construction firm. One is an engineering consultant, and two are directors.
The force has formed a joint investigation with the Fire Services Department. The anti-corruption watchdog has also launched a probe.
